Apparatus for making non-woven fabric



Oct. 30, 1956 A. SCHOCK ,7 ,671

APPARATUS FOR MAKING NON-WOVEN FABRIC Filed April 19, 1955 2Sheet s-Sheet 1 mnlllllll ..||lll INVENTOR ATTORNEY Oct. 30, 1956 A. scHocK APPARATUS FOR MAKING uon-wovsu FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19, 1955 INVENTOR fll/rza Liv/W05 ORNEY nited States Patent APPARATUS FOR MAKING NON-WOVEN FABRIC Alfred Schock, Elmhurst, N. Y., assignor to Alexander Smith, Incorporated, Yonkers, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 19, 1955, Serial No. 502,482

6 Claims. (Cl. 1541.1)

This invention relates to pile fabrics and more particularly to a pile fabric composed of a non-woven layer of yarn attached to a backing composed of stretchable material and held in opened up condition to form a pile surface by the contracted backing, and to apparatus for making the same.

An object is to provide a pile fabric of the above type having improved characteristics.

Another object is to provide novel and improved apparatus for producing a fabric of the above type.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed.

In accordance with the present invention the fabric is produced by laying a sheet of parallel ends of loosely twisted yarn on a stretchable backing material and securing the yarns to the backing material by a suitable adhesive while the backing material is held in stretched condition. The backing is then allowed to contract and thereby opens up the yarn and causes it to form upstanding pile loops. An additional non-stretchable web may then be disposed over the back of the stretchable backing material when partially contracted so as to maintain dimensional stability and prevent the backing from curling or from deforming during use. The loops may of course be sheared to form cut pile if desired.

The various features of the invention will be better understood by referring to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which a specific embodiment thereof has been set forth for purposes of illustration,

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side elevation thereof illustrating the various steps in the process;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the yarn ends attached to the stretched backing; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the final product showing the yarn ends attached to the contracted backing with a base layer of non-stretchable material attached thereto. 1

Referring to the drawings more in detail, a backing which may constitute natural or synthetic rubber or other woven or non-woven stretchable material such as foam or sponge rubber, stretchable plastic, or other rubber-like material is fed from 'a supply roll 11 along the top surface of an endless conveyor 12 to a pair of stretch rolls 13 which are driven at a predetermined. constant speed. 'From the stretch rolls 13 the backing material is fed around the periphery of a rotating drum 15, thence between a second stretch roll 16 and the periphery of the drum. The speed of rotation of the drum is such that the backing material is stretched between the stretch rolls 13 and the point of contact with the drum and remains stretched during its entire passage around the drum, being partially relaxed only after it passes the second stretch roll 16. The friction of the surface of the material on the periphery of the drum assists in maintain- 2,768,67l Patented Oct. 3Q, 1956 ing the backing stretched during its passage around the drum.

A sheet of yarn ends 20 is fed from a creel or beam 21 around an idler roll 22 and through a reed 23 by which the yarn ends are laid in parallel relationship, thence around an idler roll 24 and onto the layer of backing material on the drum 15. A suitable adhesive 51. is sprayed onto the surface of the backing material on the drum 15 in advance of the point of contact of the yarn 20. This adhesive is preferably of the quick drying type, such as natural or synthetic latex or resins in solution or dispersion.

An annular drying hood 28 is disposed around the portion of the periphery of the drum 15 extending from the point of contact of the yarn 20 to the second stretch roll 16. A suitable heating means such as heated air may be circulated through the hood 28 by means of a blower 2 having an outlet pipe 30 connected to one end of the hood 28 and a suction pipe 31 connected to the other end thereof. The arrangement is such that hot air may be recirculated through the hood if desired or the hood may be maintained under a slight vacuum for vapor removal. In either case the adhesive becomes set sufticiently to secure the yarn to the backing during the passage of the yarn and backing around the periphery of the drum and before the backing and yarn is removed from the periphery of the drum at the second stretch roll 16.

After passing the second stretch roll 16 the backing passes around an idler roll 35 and through a drying chamber 36, such as an oven, in which the final drying or curing of the adhesive takes place and between final stretch rolls 42 which are driven at a speed to hold the material under a slight tension between the second stretch and the final stretch rolls 42. The material is fully relaxed after passage between the rolls 42.

A non-stretchable web 38 such as open mesh web, other Woven or non-woven fabric or paper-like material may be fed from a roll 39 under an adhesive spray 4t! and onto the back of the slightly stretched backing material 10, thence through the oven 36 where the adhesive from the spray 4-0 is set and cured.

The backing 10 with the yarn ends 20 secured thereto as the stretched backing passes around the surface of the drum 15 is illustrated in Fig. 3 wherein it is noted that the yarn ends 20 are loosely twisted and are laid in close parallel relationship upon the stretched backing 10 to form a flat yarn surface.

After the backing 10 has been relaxed and contracted into unstretched condition it causes the loosely twisted yarn ends 20 to open up and to pull into the form of upstanding loops 50 as shown in Fig. 4, the bases of which are attached by the adhesive 51 to the backing material 10 and the height of which depends upon the looseness of the twist of the yarn ends 20 and the degree of stretch of the backing material 10 when the yarn ends are laid thereon.

The non-stretchable web 38 is secured to the back of the stretchable backing material 10 as indicated in Fig. 4 and produces dimensional stability which prevents the stretchable backing from again opening up during use and thus deforming the pile loops 50. The web 33, being applied while the backing 10 is slightly stretched, opposes the pull exerted on the backing by the yarn ends and thus prevents the backing from curling when it is fully contracted. A sizing or back coating may be used in place of the web 38 for the same purpose.

If a cut pile surface is desired the pile loops 5i) may be sheared to provide upstanding pile legs forming a cut pile surface.

In the embodiment shown the yarn ends are held by their tension in pressure engagement with the backing material during their passage around the drying zone which pressure may be determined by the drag on the yarn at the creel .21. This continuous pressure engagement of the yarn with the backing material for the entire passage around the periphery of the drum provides sufficient drying time so that the yarn is firmly secured to the backing material before the stretch of the backing material is released. In the event that slight additional pressure is required for forcing the yarn ends 23 into firm engagement with the adhesive on the stretched backing material, or if a pressure sensitive adhesive is used, .a pressure roll 60 may be provided as shown in Fig. 2 to engage the yarn ends prior to their passage under the drying hood 23. By this arrangement the pressure may be controlled so as to maintain the yarn in pressure engagement with the backing material without forcing the yarn to embed itself in the adhesive to an undesired degree.

A spray means has been shown for applying the adhesive. Other standard means such as a size roller or spreader may be used if desired.

Although a specific embodiment has been disclosed it is to be understood that various changes and adaptations may be made therein as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for making a non-woven pile fabric, comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after passage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel relationship onto said stretched backing material on said drum, means to apply an adhesive onto said stretched backing material on said drum in advance of the point of contact of said yarn ends therewith, and heating means disposed around the periphery of said drum in advance of said second stretch roll to dry and set said adhesive during the passage of said backing material and said yarn ends to said second stretch roll.

2. Apparatus for making a non-woven pile fabric, comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after passage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel relationship onto said stretched backing material on said drum, means to apply an adhesive onto said stretched backing material on said drum in advance of the point of contact of said yarn ends therewith, heating means disposed around the periphery of said drum in advance of said second stretch roll to dry and set said adhesive during the passage of said backing material and said yarn ends to said second stretch roll, a drying oven, and means feeding said material in partially relaxed conditon from said second stretch roll to said oven for the completion of the setting of said adhesive.

3. Apparatus for making a non-Woven pile fabric comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after pasage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel relationship onto said stretched backing material on said drum, means to apply an adhesive onto said stretched backing material on said drum in advance of the point of contact of said yarn ends therewith, heating means disposed around the periphery of said drum in advance of said second stretch roll to dry and set said adhesive during the passage of said backing material and said yarn ends to said second stretch roll, means including a final stretch roll rotating at a speed to feed said material from said second stretch roll in partially stretched condition, means securing a non-stretchable web to the back of said backing material While said backing material is in said partially stretched condition.

4. Apparatus for making a non-woven pile fabric comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after passage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel relationship onto said stretched backing material on said drum, means to apply an adhesive onto said stretched backing material on said drum in advance of the point of contact of said yarn ends therewith, heating means disposed around the periphery of said drum in advance of said second stretch roll to dry and set said adhesive during the passage of said backing material and said yarn ends to said second stretch roll, means including a final stretch roll rotating at a speed to feed said material from said second stretch roll in partially stretched condition, means feeding a non-stretchable web to the back of said backing material while said backing material is in said partially stretched condition, means applying adhesive to said nonstretchable web, and means drying said adhesive to secure said web to said backing.

5. Apparatus for making a non-woven pile fabric comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after passage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel relationship onto said stretched backing material on said drum, means to apply an adhesive onto said stretched backing material on said drum in advance of the point of contact of said yarn ends therewith, heating means disposed around the periphery of said drum in advance of said second stretch roll to dry and set said adhesive during the passage of said backing material and said yarn ends to said second stretch roll, means including a final stretch roll rotating at a speed to feed said material from said second stretch roll in partially stretched condition, means feeding a non-stretchable web to the back of said backing material while said backing material is in said partially stretched condition, means applying adhesive to said non-stretchable web, a drying oven, and means feeding said web with said stretchable backing material and said yarn ends through said oven for setting said adhesive to secure the layers together.

6. Apparatus for making a non-woven pile fabric, comprising a rotating drum, means feeding a stretchable backing material onto said drum, a pair of stretch rolls gripping said backing material in advance of said drum and rotating at a speed to stretch said material between said rolls and said drum, a second stretch roll disposed to engage and grip said backing material on said drum after passage around said drum for maintaining the material in stretched condition during its passage around said drum, means feeding a sheet of yarn ends in parallel References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Teague et a1 Oct. 29, 1940 Gaibel Oct. 24, 1950 Sterner May 15, 1951 Laing Jan. 22, 1952 Francis Mar. 17, 1953 Walker et a1 Apr. 13, 1954 Teague Sept. 7, 1954 Hartstein July 12, 1955 

